Elements

Seven Tips for Creating a Company Name That Tells a Compelling Story

A good company name doesn't have to tell customers exactly what you do. Names that hinge on a compelling narrative are often far more powerful. So approach your naming needs with the following tips in mind, and your brainstorming will be much more likely to yield a robust list of captivating names.

1. Know Thyself

Levi's, Peet's, Hewlett-Packard, and Disney are all names that allude to the history of the companies through their founders. They seek to start conversations centered on the company's origin story.

Highlighting the vision and influence of your company's founders builds an air of trust and relatability among customers. However, this strategy limits options and says little about your company's mission or positioning.

To dive into subtler naming territory, examine your founders' interests and common values. Consider the software company Asana, which refers to a restorative pose in yoga—a meaningful practice of the company's founders.

Sometimes the greatest names come from within a company.

2. ¿Cómo Se Llama?

At a namer's right hand is the thesaurus, but at a namer's left are English-paired dictionaries of many foreign languages.